Electric-sign control



F. E. J. WILDE ELECTRIC 5 IGN CONTROL May 3 9 Filed March 24. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet: l

INVENTQR 29W wdde OQOOOOOQO 000000.00 090000.00 OOQOOQOQO OOOOOOQOO OOQOOOQOO mm O O 000 May 3 1927., I 21,626,900

E. J. WILDE ELECTRIC SIGN CONTROL Filed March 24. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet' 2 5 v Q 2 g a Z;

INVENTOR M 2 W1?) 1 EY F. E. J. WILDE ELECTRIC SIGN CONTROL Filed March 24. 1926 5 sheets-sheet 3 May 3, 1927.

F. E. J. WILDE ELECTRIC SIGN CONTROL Filed March 24. 1926 LII L'T'HIUJHI 5 Sheets-Sheet' 4 egb nci INVENTOR a; mm

May a, 1927.

F. E. J- WILDE ELECTRIC SIGN CONTROL Filed March 24. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

INVENTOR Patented May 3, 192i".

VPIATENTE OFFICE.

UNITE D STATES,

or mRAnowmRRR PARK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'ro MOTOGRAM rRANcIs E. J. WILDE,

] CORPORATION, or NEW YORK, N. Y.,A CORPORATION on NEW YO K.

I RLRc'rRm-smncoNrRoL. I Application filed March'24, 1926. Serial No. 96,910. j='This" invention relates to the operation and control of electric signs, partic.ularly those of. the type in whlch the lights on a 7 board are flashed to produce the effect of traveling letters or other symbols.

patterns of the desired outlines pasta bank of switch devices connected to control cor-v respondingly located .lights' on U board. Such signs have been restricted n their scope by the number of sign characters which it has been possible to maintain n circulation. g JSpecial objects of the present lnventlon are to increase the scope or usefulness of such signs circulation and further, to permit increase orjdecrease or changing of the sign characters while theoperation continues so that the reading of the sign maybe varied either astolength or information conveyed wlthoiit interrupting operation of'the same.

1 Other objects of the present invention are .to simplify and improve the structure of the sign patterns, the switch devices, the *con'veyer for-the patterns and otherrelated parts.

-.The novel featuresof construction, combito nation and -relation of parts by which the foregoing and other desirable objects are attainedare set forth in thefollowing speciticat'ion and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which show a few of the at presas ent, preferred embodimentsof the invention.

, '1 Figure 1 is a'general side elevation of the [complete machine, the travel of the sign characters being indicated in broken lines.

Figure 2 is an enlarged broken-sectional 1. a "view f the switch devices illustrating the actuation of the same the traveling-sign patterns. j Figure 3 'is a cross sectional view ofthe switch bank as on substantially 4 line 3 3 of Figure 2 ,Figuie' 4'is 'detail view of one of the individual terminal posts with-its flexible 'brush for circuit completing contact wit the traveling sign element.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section These effects are usually produced by traversing the sign:

by enabling practically any num- 'ber of sign characters to be maintained in on substantially the plane o fllne 1010 of as on'--line 12-12 of Figurell.

letter patterns.

actuated formof switch mechanism.

the plane of .which the lugs for propelling the pattern plates are-formed as integral extensions of 00 the chain links; v H Q I Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical section ofa modified switch structure having 'flexible contacts arranged in pairs and adapted. to be bent together by'patterns of insulating material. A

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional ,view as Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a broken plan of one of the (0 metal contact strips with attached contact fingers.

Figure 12 is a sectional View of the same -Figure 13 is :a plan of one of the metal Figure 14 is a'plan of one of the insulat- 1 in%letter patterns.

\ igure 15 is a plan of a stencil form of insulating pattern plate. I

Figure 16 is a-sectional view of the latter as on the line 1"6-16.

Figure 17 is a broken detail of a rocker Figure '18 is .a. broken side elevation of the, machine as designed with a horizontal instead of a vertical contact block. v

Figures 19 and 20 are face and sectional -views showing a form of cast metal letter on an insulating backing secured to a metal 90. carrier plate, Figure 20 taken as on line 20-20 of Figure 19.

Figures 21 and 22 are similar views of another form of stencil plates, arranged with ofl'set, overlapping edges. Figure 23 is a broken part sectional side elevation of aform of the machine designed to take s'igncha'racters selectively from different magazines.

Figure 241s apart se' tional detail of the special inclined post and brush construction which may be employed.

Figure 25 is a view illustrating how the pattern plates may be guided over rods, instead of by magazine walls, the rods appearing in section.

In Figure 1 a typical sign board is illustrated on a reduced scale, at 1 having lights 2 connected by wiring 3 with thecorrespondingly located controls in the bank of switch devices 4. This bank is shown supported by suitable framing 5 in position for actuation by vertically traveling sign characters. This relation conserves space, but it will be understood that this control bank may be mounted horizontally or inclined, depending on cir-' cumstances.

Some of the sign characters are indicated at 6, Figure 1, traveling upwardly through a guide 7 in position to actuate the switch devices, located in the paths of these particular outlines. The pattern guide has a rearwardly directed elbow 8 at the top by which the patterns, after actuating selected switches are directed through a return way 9 to'the ,top of a'collection receptacle or magazine 10. Entering this magazine, the

attern plates-are reversed or turned overy the cooperating inclined guides 11, 12- so as to bring the raised patterns 13 on the plates lowermost. v 3

From the bottom of the stack in the magazine 10, the patterns areextracted one at a time by means consisting in the present disclosure of sprocket chains 14 having horizontal runs supported in channel guides 15 below the foot of the stack and provided with opposite inwardly extending lugs 16,

Figures 5 and 6, engaging behind the transverseribs or runners 17 extending across the faces, near the side edges of the sign plates.

From the foot of magazine 10, the sign characters are carried by the chains upwardly throu h a curved and vertically extending guidhway- 18 and dropped-face down into the top of a. supplemental magazine 19, the latter being effected by carrying the chains over and downward aboutv uide sprockets 20, the patterns being guided and confined by an enclosing hood 21 opening into the top of magazine 19 and an inclined guide 22 directing the'plates face down as they fall in the magazine.-

From the top of the second magazine 19, the chains extend downwardly over guide sprockets'23'and thence forwardly beneath the 'foot of said magazine, extracting one by one the bottom patterns in the stack after the manner described with respect to the first magazine.

guide passage 24 and deposited face down in the top of a third magazine 25 by guide in plan devices similar to those described at the top of magazine 19.

From the third or final magazine 25 the sign characters are extracted by the horizontal runs of the sprocket chains and carried one by one upwardly through a curved or inclined way 26 into the guide 7 which holds them in operative relation to the switch devices.

A singleset of chains may be utilized as shown to carry the -sign characters between successive magazines and past the bank of switch controls. The same set of chains also may be employed to carry the characters from the switch controls back to thefirst receiver or magazine 10 as by extending the return runs 27 of the chains through the return way 8, -9 and over the topof the chute and thence by guide sprockets 28, 29 to the main drive sprockets 30. These main sprockets are shown operated by an electric motor 31 and suitable reduction gearing- 32., In case of extra long lengths of chain, other drive motors may be provided,'-as for exam .ple, at the sprockets 23 at the foot of magazines 19 and 25.

By using a plurality of magazines, capaci -'acters is kept so low that "the chains can easily pullout the lowest character without undue friction. To accommodate a greater number of the plates in the same overall height, one or all of the magazines may be set on a slant or incline, the lower ends-of the same sloping forwardly in the direction of feed so that the plates will slip out easily and naturally from the foot of the pile, as shown at 10 in Figure 18.

The inclined magazine has the further advantage that the rearward walls of such magazines have a tendency to support the edges of the 'platesand thus take part of the weight off the lower lates, allowing those to'slide out more easily. If desired, also, the return way 9 may be inclined down.- wardly to the rear to effect or facilitate return of the plates to the first receiver.- The several chutes or magazines may be placed one behind the other as closely as the shape of the guides 26, 24, 18 will-allow.

The magazines, guides and propelling chains'constitute means for maintaining a continuous circuit of the sign characters past the control board, which may be kept in operation to reiterate selected advertising matter at'the sign board. If desired, however, 'the advertising or other matter may be varied while the machine is in operation, for instance, by abstracting certain of the characters and substituting others in place of the same. The characters, for instance,

may be removed from the return way after they leave the control board or the return runs 27 of the chains might be utilized to return all the characters either into selected classified magazines or into a common re- New characters could then be 1nce'iver. serted in circuit, for instance, in the first magazine 10 which maybe of open structure to disclose the characters, the latter being marked so that they can be easily identified. Also, the magazines may be made detachable as units which can be readily removed and be replaced. It is further in the contemplationof this invention that-selected characters maybe placed in circuit by a keyboard action after the manner of a type setting -machine so' that the reading matter may be constantly changed, for instance, to provide a news bulletin. v

The sign characters'may be of conducting or non-conducting material. In the first example, Figures 1 to 6 and 13, metal characters 33 are shown mounted on. insulated backings on the plates 6. These metal characters are'connected by branches 35 with charging strips 36 extending entirely across the plates and adapted to be engaged by a special charging brush 37, Figure 3, connected by wiring 38 with one side of the. source of energy 39. a

The lamps "2 of the sign board are connected by the wires 3 with the individual insulated terminal posts 40. These posts, as-

shown in Figure 4, have flexible brushes 41' at their inner ends which make wiping en gagement with the charged letters or sign characters.

To establish the proper contact making relation. between the brushes and the traveling sign characters, relative adjustment may.

be provided, as shown in Figure .3, by constructing the rear section of the frame 5, the part which carries the upright chain guides 7 as a laterally shiftable section which can be adjusted by the screws 42, with respect to the outer or fixed section 43 which carries the terminal posts.

" If non-conducting or insulating sign characters are-used, as shownat 44 1n Figure 14, then the circuit arrangement such as different lamps or groups oflamps have shown in Figures 9 to 12 may be employed where indivldual terminal posts 45 for the flexible brush ends 46 adapted to be engaged by flexible contacts 47 when the latter are bent upward-by a passing insulating character. I

The contacts 47 are indicated in Figures.

11 and 12 as spring tongues inserted through loops 48 in a base plate 49, being secured in such loopsby bent lugs 50. This form's a comb structureinwhich all fingers of one row are electrically connected and the comb is charged by having bent out lugs 51,Figure 10, at the ends of theback plate, engaged behind overstandingrails or cleats 52, the latter being charged by wiring 53 from one side of the current source 39. Strips of insulation 54 are interposed betweeneach" comb and'the companion row of terminal contacts 46,- these strips being narrow 9 bend into engagement with the shorter contacts 46' and widerstrips of insulatlon 55 in enoughto permit the longer contacts 47 to back of the combs prevent the spring fingers 47 from snapping backward .into'engagement with an adjoining row of terminals when releasedby the passingsi'gn characters.

In place of the switch devices described," switches of the push button type may be employed, as indicated in Figure 17 where at 56 is shown, one of the individual lamp terminals engageable by a contact head on the plunger 57 which is acted on by a spring 58 to interrupt the circuit and is shifted in the reverse direction by 'one arm of a bellspring brushes which are in the line of travel of the slots 01' openings in the stencil plates.

The driving lugs onthe chains may be varied to suit ditferent conditions. Thus, in Figures 7 and 8 these lugs areshowrrprovided by equipping certain of the ,inside links of the chains wit-h inwardly extending angular projections or flanges 64 which are disposed soas to engage the rearward edges of the sign plates 6.

In Figure 18, the general plan of operation is the same, but the first-niagazinelt) is set on a downward, forwa1'd"inc1in e,.the

control block is disposed horizontally, extending forwardly from the foot of the second magazine 19 and made up in individu- I ally removable sections 65, the characters drop 1nto a rece ving magazine 66 at the forward end of the switch panel and are a guide 68 to,the head of the return way 9 which slopes downwardly to return the plates by gravity.

Figures 19 and letter 33 removably'attached to its insulat vv ing backing 34: by screws 69 extended carried byv separate chains 67 up through-1 20 illustrate a cast .metal through lugs 70 at the ends of the letter,

said backing removably attached to thesupporting plate 6 by screws 71, the supporting 2 5 plate-having cutouts 7 2 to prevent the letter 7 securing screws 69 from contacting the same. In these illustrations the charging strip 36 serves .also as a supporting. runner corresponding to the one shown at 17.

Figures 21 and 22 show how the pattern tit l plates, stencils in this case, may be formed with offsets 73 at the r edges, permlttlng them to overlap in closely engagedrelation.

Figure 23 illustrates one way in which the Characters may be taken selectively from difi'erent magazines 7-1, 75, 76, removably 'and interchangeably engaged in sockets or holders 77 over the runway leading to the control board, theaction of any one of them being controlled by a valve'78, governing passage down through the holder. In this structure the brushes 79 are inclined in the direction of travellot the letters and, as shown'in Figure 2i, may be made as easlly removable slip' springsheld by surrounding square insulating sleeves 80, over the projecting-shanks of the squa'reterminal posts 81. -The tips of these brush springs are shownrounded at in the direction of travel so as not-to scrape orscratch the let ters. '.'1hese brushes further are shown bowed at 83 to form a spring interlock between the holding sleeves and posts and as having angularly, turned inner'ends 84 avhich hook against the inner ends of the insulating bushings c1- sleeves enabling the sleeves to force the brushesdown into place over the posts. 4

, The magazines may be of skeleton form and may consist simply of guide. rails as Indicated at 85 in Figure 25 entering cor.

responding guide slots 86 in the edges of the character-plates.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. In apparatus of the character disclosed, sign elements, a series of magazines for said sign elements, aguideway for the s gn elements and means for conveying said sign elements successively from one magazine into another and through said guideway back into the first magazlne. I

2. In apparatus of the character disclosed,

sign elements, a series of magazines for said sign elements, a guideway for the sign elements, means'for conveying said sign elements successivelyfrom one magazine into another and through said guideway back into "the .hrst magazine and switch devices posit'ioned adjacent said guideway and. adapted to be selectively operated by the sign elementstraversing the same.

3. In apparatus of the characterdisclosed, sign elements, a series of magazineslfor said sign elements, a guideway for the sign elements and means for conveying said Slgll elements successively fromone magazine into another and through said guideway back into the 'first magazine, said sign elements bearing the outlines of readable characters and switch devices positioned adjacent the guideway and actuated selectively according to the outlines of successive sign elements traversing the guideway.

4. In apparatus of the character disclosed,

a control panel, magazines positioned one behind the other in rear of said panel, sign characters in said magazines and means for traversing said sign elements successively from one n ag'azine to another and from the magazine nearest the control panel to and past said'control panel. a

'5. In apparatus of the character disclosed, a control panel, magazines positioned one behind the other in rear of said panel, sign [5 characters in said magazines andvmeans for traversing said sign elements successively trom one magazine to another and from the 11iagazine" 11earest the control panel to and past said control panel, said means including devices for returning the sign characters from the control panel back to the magazine furthest in rear of the same.

6. In apparatus of the character disclosed, 7

sign characters, a succession of magazines 35 and chains for successively conveying said sign characters from one magazine into another and thence from said latter magazine.

7. In apparatus of thecharacter disclosed,

switch devices, a guideway extending .past 90 the rame,--sign characters for traversing said guideway, a succession of magazines and means for traversing the sign characters from one magazine into another and from said magazines through the guideway past the switch devices.

8. 1n apparatus of the character disclosed,' a control panel containing switch devices, a guideway extending past said panel, sign control panel and-through the return wayc to the magazine. y I

It). In apparatus of the character disclosed, sign elements, a series of magazines for holding different groups of said signcharacters for traversing sald guideway and p 105 .9. In apparatus of the characterdisclosed,

e control panel, a return way exelements, a guidelway for the signelements and means for conveying said sign elements from the difl'erent magazines through said guideway. C 11. In apparatus. of the character dis closed, sign elements, a series of magazines for holding difi'erent groups of said sign elements, a guideway for the sign elements, means for conveying said sign elements from the different magazines through said guideway and sign controlling switch devices as: 130

sociated with said guideway and selectively operable by difierent sign elements from the several magazines.

12. In apparatus of the character disclosed, sign control switch devices,' sign pats and means for automatically extract ing t e patterns from one magazine and for 10 carrying same, past the switch devices to a different magazine.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of February, 1926.

FRANCIS E. J. WILDE.

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